Refrigerator-car.



No. 679,966. y Patented Aug. 6, I90l. K J. Hommel.. l BEFRIGEBATOR CAR.

(Application med s ept. xs, 1900.)

(No Model.)

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` UNITED STATES V PATENT 'OFFICE .IACOB HOMMEL, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO FREDERICK T. GRIFFITH, OF SAME PLACE.

REFRlGErRATORf-CAR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 679,966, dated August 6, 1901.

Application filed September 13, 1900- Serial No. 29,956; (No model.)

` zen of the United States, residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Refrigerator-Card of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to means for transporting fruits, vegetables, and meats through climates of variable temperature; and the object thereof is to provide a car in which a uniform temperature may be maintained for a considerable length of time, long enough to transport such articles in good condition to distant markets through such variable temperature without the use of ice in such car. I accomplish this object by means of the car described herein and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a side view, partly in section and partly in elevation, of a car embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the discharge-cocks in the bottom and top of the car. Fig. 3 is a vertical section of the ventilating-valve in the top of the car. Fig. 4 is a vertical section of one of the checkvalves in the partition-walls of the car.

In the drawings, A is the storing-comparti, ment of the car, in which the articles to be transported are packed, which is surrounded by two air-tight jackets or compartments B and C, whichprovide a receptacle for the foul air that rises or falls and separates the same from the storage-chamber where the fruitl or meat is stored, as will be hereinafter explained. The door of the car is likewise divided into two compartments. In each of the compartments A, B, and C are thermometers D, which register the temperature of the respective compartments and are visible through glass panels E, protected by door F. Decaying fruit, meat, or Vegetables will generate foul air, or gases, which will either rise to the top of the car, where it will pass from compartment A through check-valve G into compartment B and thence through checkvalve G' into compartment C, whence it is discharged through valve I whenever it is opened into the circulating-chamber fm. If

the foul air should be heavier than the air in the storage-chamber, it will fall to the bottom and pass out of the storage-chamber into the jacketlng chamber through the telescopic valve K and finally discharge from the car through the stop-cocks O.

The Ventilating-valve I consists of a circular chamber having a valve-seat a in the top, with one port therein leading directly into the swivelly-connectedpipe n, and valve-seat b in the bottom thereof, with a plurality ot' ports. The upper and lower valve-Stoppers e and f, respectively, are rigidly mounted on the valve-stem c. These valve-Stoppers are provided with ports, so disposed thereon that while a port in the valve-stopper registers with a port in the valve-seat the port in the other stopper does not register with the port in the adjacent valve-seat, preventing an uninterrupted flow at any time through the valve. The valve-stern is provided with a crank-arm d, which is operatively connected with rod g, and that in turn is connected to crank-rod h, rigidly aixed to Ventilatingfunnel t'. This funnel is mounted ou the top of the car and has a swivel-joint connection, whereby the vane j will at all times keep the mouth of the funnel to the wind. Mounted 'on the other end of the car and in like manner is funnel k, except that the vane is so mounted thereon as to keep the mouth of the funnel away from the wind. Shifting winds will cause the tunnels to rotate, which will operate the valves. This will permit the foul air in the chamber of valve I to be discharged through pipe 'n into the Ventilating-compartment m and thence out through funnel 7c.

In the bottom oi' compartment A and eX- tending through the walls ot' compartments B and C is the telescopic valve K, the outer casing,r of which is provided with ports L, M, and N,which commu nicate,respectively, with compartments A, B, and C. The cylindrical valve-stopper, having a rotatable motion in the outer casing, is provided with ports 1, 2, and 3, adapted when rotated to register with the ports L, M, and N, respectively, and establish communication between all of the compartments and with the ouside air by means otthe stop-cock O. The refrigerated air is y compartments A, B, and C full of prepared air of the required density and degree of heat or cold to keep the goods therein at the temperature desired whiletheyare being transported to their destination to replace all the ai r in the car when the stop-cocks O are closed, after which more air will be pumped in to give the required pressure in the storing-compartment, which will be indicated by the pressure-gage R, projecting from the top of the car.

The walls of the respective compartments are preferably made o'f steel and are coated on both sides with a sufficient number of coats of Hommels heat-insulating paint, as described in the specification of his application for United States Letters Patent on said paint led June 26, 1900, being Serial No. 21,677, and allowed July 3l, 1900, to insulate the Walls to prevent the passage therethrough of heat or cold.

By my arrangement of valves it will be seen that it isimmaterial whether the foul air collects at the top or settles to the bottom of the car. In either case I have provided means to take the same out ofthe storing-cham ber and finally get rid ot' it.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. A refrigerator-car, having a main storing-chamber; air-tight chambers surrounding said storing-chamber; a thermometer in each of said chambers, valvular means to connect the said chambers together; an air-circulating chamber above said chambers; funnels revolubly mounted above and at each end of the Ventilating-chamber and connecting directly with said Ventilating-chamber; vanes on said ventilators arranged to present the open mouth of one to the wind, and the mouth ot' the other from the wind, and a valve communicating with the said chambers and operatively connected with the ventilatorfunnels, and adapted to be operated thereby; and a pressure-gage connected with the other jacketing-cham ber.

2. In a refrigerating-car, the combination of a Amain storing-chamber; jacketing-chambers surrounding the storing-chamber, provided with a thermometer and pressure-gage as shown; a Ventilating-chamber above thesaid chambers; the said chambers being valvularly connected one with the other; Ventilators revolubly mounted on the oar at either end thereof, the said ventilators having vanes, as shown, and being connected with the Ventilating-chamber, rand provided wlth a bell-crank rigidly attached thereto; a rotary valve connecting the outer jacketingchamber with the Ventilating-chamber, having on the upright stem thereof, a crank; a

connection-rod between the crank on the Venl tilator and Vthe crank on the rotary valve, whereby the rotation of the ventilator will operate the valve, substantially in the manner shown and described.

3. In a refrigerator-car, the combination of the Ventilating-funnel t', rotatively mountedV on the end of the car above the ventilating-chamber m and connecting directly with said chamber; the crank h attached to said ventilator; the rotary valve I connecting the Ventilating-chamber with the outer jacketing-chamber C, a stem on said valve pro jecting therefrom and having mounted thereon a crank; the connecting-rod g, one end rotatively mounted on the crank of the valve and the other end mounted on the crank on the ventilator, whereby the rotary movement of the ventilator operates the valve.

4. In a refrigerator-car, having ventilat ing-chambers; a storing-chamber, and jacke eting-chambers, as shown, the combination of the Ventilating-funnel i, located at the end of the car above the said Ventilating-chamber and connecting directly therewith; a crank h on said ventilator; the rotary valve I, located in the partition and forming a connection be tween the Ventilating and the outer jacketing-chambers; a crank-arm d on said valve; a connecting-rod g mounted, one' end on the crank of the valve and the other end on the crank of the ventilator, substantially as shown and described. y5. A refrigerator-car, comprising a storage-chamber, jacketing-chambers, surrounding the storage-chamber; valvular connections between the said chambers; a ventilat-V ing-funnel, revolubly mounted on said car and carrying at its lower end a crank-arm; a rotary valve in the casing-of the outer jacki eting-chamber, having a crank-arm; a connecting-rod attached to said crank-arm at one end, and to the crank-arm on the ventilator to impart motion to and operate said valve when the ventilator rotates a vane on said elevator to keep is month to the windi 6. In a refrigerator-car, having 'different compartments therein, the herein-described Ventilating-valve I, located to give valvular connection between two different compartments, comprisingacylindrical casing, closed at the top and bottom, the same forming Valve-seats for the valves, one port in the upper valve-seat and a plurality of ports in the lower seat; a revoluble valve-stopper therein, having an upper member e in the top, with one port therein, and an under member with a plurality of ports; a stem c projecting' therefrom and having v mounted .thereon a crank-arm d, the said crank-arm being opera IIO atively connected with a revoluble ventilator, of September, 1900, ab Los Angeles, Cali: mounted on the top of the car, and having a forna.

Vane adapted to cause the ventilator to re- Volve when the Wind shifts, substantially as JACOB HOMMEL 5 and for the purpose shown and described. Witnesses:

In Witness thatI claim the foregongl have F. T. GRIFFITH,

hereunto subscribed my name, this ,4th day G. E. HARPHAM. 

